Your Questions Answered (volume 1)

Q77: Ihtiyat Prayers - How and Which Time Is It Prayed?

A. IHTIYAT PRAYERS : When some doubt occurs about the number of the Rik'ats of Prayer (the rules of which are described in the books of Fiqah), one has to pray one and/or two Rik'ats Prayer of Ihtiyat. Here I am explaining how to pray that prayer. Soon after finishing the Prayer (in which the doubt had occured and which requires Prayer of Ihtiyat for its completion and validation) without looking away from Quibla or doing anything which makes a Prayer Batil, you are to stand up and make the Niyyat. (If the prayer of Ihtiyat is to be performed sitting, then remain sitting after the first Prayer and make Niyyat) : "I pray the prayer of Ihtiyat one (or two) Rik'at(s) Wajib Qurbatan llallah." Then say Takbeerat-ul-lhram, recite Sura Al- Hamd in whisper. Go to Rukuu then do Sajda; recite Tashahhud and Salaam. Your Prayer of Ihtiyat is finished.

If you have to recite two Rik'ats of Prayer of Ihtiyat, then you should stand up for the second Rik'at just after the second Sajda of the first Rik'at in the usual way. Recite the second Rik'at also with just Sura Al-Hamd, without even Qunut; and then finish the Prayer in usual way." Q78: Will you please explain the necessary rules and method of 'Swalatul- Meyyit'.

A. SWALATUL MEYYIT (PRAYER OF MEYYIT).

Prayer of Meyyit is Wajib-e-Kifai, i.e. it is obligatory on every Muslim but as soon as it is performed correctly by one of them, it remains no more obligatory on others; but if no one offers the prayer everyone is sinner. If the deceased was six-year old, Prayer-of Meyyit is wajib. In offering this prayer, Taharat of the body or dress is not necessary; also in Shia Fiqah, Ghusl, Wudhu or Tayammum is not wajib. But the intention of Prayer (Niyyat) and facing Quibla is essential. The dead-body should be placed in such a way that the head of the meyyit remains on the right of those who offer the prayer. In the case of the dead-body of a male, the Imam should stand near its waist; and in the case of a female, near the chest.

Prayer of Meyyit according to Shia Fiqah, has 5 Takbirs (including Takbi-ratul-lhram) : After first Takbir, (i.e. Takbiratul-lhram) Kalema-e-Shahada-tain is recited; After 2nd Takbir, Salawat is recited. After 3rd Takbir, prayer is offered for all the Believers and Muslims; After 4th Takbir, prayer is offered especially for the deceased one; The 5th Takbir is said and the prayer comes to an end.

The shortest method of offering this prayer is as follows : Niyyat: I pray Namaz-e-Meyyit of this corpse Wajib, Kurbatan-ilallah. Allah-o-Akbar; Ashhado Al-La liana Illallaho Wahdahuu La Sharika Lah; Wa Ashhado Anna Muhammadan

Abduhuu wa Rasuluh; Allah-o-Akbar; Allahumma Salle Ala Muhammadin wa Aale Muhammad; Allah-o-Akbar; Allahummaghfir Ml Mumeneena wal Mumenaat; Allah-o-Akbar; Allahummaghfir Le Haazal Meyyit (In case the deceased is a female, say Allahummaghfir Le Haazehil Meyyit); Allah-o-Akbar;

After the completion of the prayer recite "Rabbana Aatena Fid-Dunya Hasanatanw wa Fil- Aakherate Hasanatanw Waquina Azaban-Naar." It is necessary to mention that even if this prayer is offered by Jamaat, everyone has to recite the whole prayer. It is not correct just to say 'Allah-o-Akbar' and remain silent between the Takbirs. Such a prayer is Batil.

Q79: What are the differences between the methods of prayer of different Muslim sects?

A. The difference in the prayers of different sects of Islam are not very many; though it is sad to admit the existence of even a few differences, because the Holy Prophet did lead the Muslims in prayers for 23 years, and they must have become quite familiar with his way of prayers.

There are historical reasons behind these differences and this short letter is not the place to expound on that subject.

Q80: Is it correct to pray Dhuhuri at 1.30 after Juma? Mohammed N. Muakasa, Entebbe (Uganda).

A. There is a difference of opinion about the prayer of "Dhuhuri" on Fridays. Such differences are to be found in hundreds of rules. But it is sad to see that in Uganda and some places of Tanzania these differences have been blown out of proportion and have caused split among the followers of the same madh-hab.

The Ibadhis believe that 'Juma' prayer can be conducted only by the rightful Imam. As a result they do not pray Juma in East Africa.

The Shia Ithna-Asheris, in these days of seclusion of their 12th Imam, follow in the matter of religion a living Mujtahid (who must be the most learned religious scholar of the time). A group of the Shia Mujtahids holds that an Ithna-Asheri in these days of seclusion of the Imam has a choice to pray either Juma or Dhuhuri; though it is better to pray Dhuhuri also (without Jamaat and without niyyat of Wajib) after Juma. Other group holds that Juma prayer is not Wajib nowadays though it may be prayed, just to get 'thawab'.

So, inspite of this difference in theory, both groups are united in practice. Because both pray Juma first, and then pray Dhuhri. And there is no trouble. Among Sunnis of Uganda, there are 3 groups : Some pray Juma; others Dhuhuri; and a third group prays Juma and Dhuhuri both.

Here I should point out an important doctrine of the Shia Ithna-Asheri sect, which if followed by others would eliminate all troubles and bickerings. The Ithna-Asheris say that everyone, if he is not a Mujtahid himself, must follow the ruling of the most learned living Mujtahid. But no Mujtahid or his follower can condemn the ruling of another Mujtahid, and if there are two Mujtahids praying side by side each should follow his own ruling.

This rule takes out the element of personal grudge or hatred from the rules of Sheriat and everyone follows the dictates of his Mujtahid quite freely without any attack from any side. If the Sunnis of Uganda and the coast of Tanzania adopt this attitude, there will be no room for those who want to exploit the mass hysteria for their own purpose.

Q 81 : Give me full particulars if someone finds that they have prayed Eight Rakats in Taraweeh. How he should recover them?

A. The Muslims are divided about "Taraweeh". All of them agree that Sunnat or Nafl prayar cannot be prayed with Jamaat (except Salatul-Istisqua). But the Sunnis pray Taraweeh with Jamaat. This system began in the 14th year of Hijra during the reign of the 2nd Caliph Hadhrat Umar bin Khattab. The incident is narrated in hundreds of books, but I am quoting from 'Sahih' of Imam Bukhari (Kitabu-ut-Taraweeh) :-

Abdur Rehman bin Abdul Qari said : I went with Umar to the Mosque in a Ramadhan night and (saw that) the people were praying separately ... So Umar said, "I think it would be nice if I make them pray with Jamaat behind one Imam." So he decided and gathered them under Ubai bin Kaab. (Abdur-Rehman said) Then I went there with him another night and the people were praying with Jamaat; Umar said, "Good Bid-at is this..."

Allama Qastalani says in his "Irshadus-Sari" (the Commentary of Sahih-Bukhari) : "Umar named it 'Bid-at' because the Holy Prophet did not introduce the system of Jamaat prayer for Taraweeh, nor was it done in the time of (1st Caliph, Abu Bakr) Siddique (r.a.) nor was there any fixed time for it nor any fixed number of Rik'ats." All these innovations were done by the 2nd Caliph and so he himself named it a 'Bid-at'.

The Shias, on the other hand, say that the Sheriat was made complete during the life-time of the Holy Prophet as Allah said in the Qur'an : "Today have I perfected your religion for you and completed my Blessings upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." (Sura 5, Ayat 4); and after the Holy Prophet nobody has any right to add or substract from tha rules of Sheriat. So, 2nd Caliph had no power to exempt Taraweeh from the rule mentioned above. Anyhow, for those who pray Taraweeh by Jamaat, if they make any mistake, there is no qadha and no "recovering". You should be careful next night, that is all.

Q82: Christians allow anybody or any religion to worship in their Churches. Now do Muslims allow non-Muslims to enter their Mosque in worshipping terms?

A. The 'Mosque' in Islam is a very sacred place where even Muslims cannot enter without ritually cleansing themselves. As non-Muslims do not observe these rules, they are not allowed inside.

Q83: Why the Muslim women are not allowed to get in Mosque and yet when the time comes for fasting they are fasting like men.

A. It is not correct that Muslim women are not allowed to get in the mosque. As a matter of fact Muslim women may pray in the congregation. But you will see in the article "Woman in Islam" that Islam is not in favour of mingling of men and women.

Therefore, in the congregational prayers, there should be either a curtain or wall between the men and women or women should stand after the last line of the men if there is no cover. On the other hand, it is ordained that if a woman prays in her house, she gets the same grace of Allah which men get from praying in the mosque. We may sum it up in the following sentence :

A woman is allowed to pray in the mosque if she observes the rules laid down; she is encouraged to pray in her house because Islam does not like the two sexes to mingle together.

Q84: Is Ramadhan a special word to express the Ramazan in English like Minaret for Minar?

A. The Arabic letter "ض" js the most difficult one in the Arabic alphabets to pronounce. In India and Pakistan people generally pronounce it as English "Z", and that is why they write "Ramzan". But the Western Scholars write it as "Ramadhan". Though "dh" is not its correct pronunciation, it is still better than Z. The inadequacy of this attempt can be seen from the fact thatandand have completely separate pronunciations in Arabic, but in European languages all are represented by "dh".

Q85: What are the actual sources that make we Moslems all over the world fast during the month of Ramadhan, why, who introduced and when?

A. The fast during the month of Ramadhan has been ordained by Allah in the Holy Qur'an. The translation of the Ayat is as follows :-

"O ye who believe - Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may guard yourself (against evil); for a fixed number of days; The month of Ramadhan, that in which was sent down the Qur'an So whosever of you witnesses the month he shall therein....... " (Qur'an; Sura 2, Ayats 183 - 185).

This ayat was revealed in the month of Shabaan in the 2nd year of Hijra and the fast was observed in the month of Ramadhan that very year.

It was introduced by Allah through His last Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (S.A.W.W.) As to "why" please read the article "Spirit of Fasting" published in The Light Vol. Ill No. 5. (Now, read 'Fast' published by this Mission.)

Q86: When are we expected to fast according to your calculations?

A. Fast of Ramadhan begins with the month of Ramadhan and ends with the end of that month. There is no calculation like English months. Islamic months may be ascertained by any of these methods :-

1. If the previous month has completed its 30th day.
2. If 2 religiously trustworthy men attest that they have seen the new moon.
3. If a great number of people attest that they have seen the new moon. Q87: If a Muslim resides in a place where days and nights are of more than 24 hours duration, like in Arctic Zone, how will he pray and fast?

A. There is a difference of opinion about the duty of a Muslim residing in Arctic Zone. Some Ulema have written that he should follow the time of any town of his choice between Arctic and Antarctic circles. Others say that he should follow the time of the nearest town outside Arctic circle. Still others say that he should follow the timing of Mecca.

Agha-e-Khoui gives no clear Fatwa on this matter, though he is inclined to say that a Muslim should not go to such a place Q88: Being the Headmaster of a Secondary School attended by a few Pakistani pupils observing the Moslem Religion I should be glad to receive your opinion on the following points:

Most of these pupils wear beards at certain times of the year which all the other pupils are not allowed to do. Being a minority I should like them to submit to the common rule of the School.

I have noticed that at the same times of the year (Ramadhan and the feast of Martyr Hussein...) they all were quite exhausted by their fast and other practices of their religion. Considering these pupils' interest, the damage they suffer in their studies, the fact that religion is essentially a disposition of one's mind and soul and that the part played by the body though necessary is not essential, I should like them to be more moderate as regards the corporal part they take in their religious rites.

Le Proviseur due Lycee de Morandava, Malagasy Republic.

A. Thank you for your letter which by oversight is undated and which reached me on the first of February, 1966. I regret the delay in replying which was due to the unusual pressure of work in the last month.

I am very grateful to you for referring the matters raised in your letter to me, instead of making an arbitrary decision on them. This reflects very favourably upon your goodself. You will appreciate that the questions you have posed are of considerable importance and I hope you will forgive me for dealing with them at some length.

I should make it clear from the start that it is not competent for any Moslem to alter or vary the code of Islam. The Law of God is beyond the jurisdiction of any human-being. Islam does not confine itself to an attitude of mind only. Man consists of body, mind and spirit; and Islam puts equal emphasis on all three parts of human life, developing an individual as a whole, not in parts.

As you may be aware, Ramadhan is a period when a Moslem is subjected to a supreme test. After one month training, he becomes habituated to obey the commands of God with the same unwavering loyalty during the whole year. Surely, the training is not expected to be easy or comforting. The essence of this training lies in its hardship, so that those who fast should become fortified to face and bear any kind of difficulty in obedience to the commands of God, in their life.

Commemoration of the tragedy of Karbala is not only the commemoration of a historical episode. It affords an opportunity of appreciating the true values of human moral life. You are no doubt aware of the history of martyrdom of Imam Husain and can judge for yourself of the values it can inspire. Here I would like to point to only one of the good effects of the tragedy of Karbala. Not long ago, His Excellency Habib Bourguiba, President of Tunisia, declared that factory labourers are exempted from fasting. He might have succeeded in incorporating his decree in religion had it not been for Husain. It was Husain who saved Islam from the whims of political powers-to-be. We see a vast difference of attitude before Karbala and after it. Before Karbala, the Muslim King was considered the final authority on religion. After Karbala, he is reduced to the position of a king without any right to interfere in religion. Before Karbala, people used to interpret or modify the teachings of Qur'an to accommodate the actions of the rulers. After Karbala, Qur'an and the traditions of the Prophet became the real standard of religion in practice also as they had been in theory from the beginning. Now the actions and decrees of the rulers are put to the test of Qur'an and traditions, and then accepted or rejected accordingly. No wonder that the President of Tunisia failed in his endeavours.

There are millions of Ithna-Asheris in the world who most fastidiously practise the precepts of their religion including fasting and the observance of the Moharram ceremonies, without any adverse effect on their health or academic career. In fact, I am proud to say that our small Community has among its fold more distinguished scholars than its number and size may suggest. Moslems have been fasting generation after generation for about 14 centuries; and they have not suffered any setback in their health nor have they acquired any special health problem of their own. Therefore, you may rest assured that no damage to body or study will befall them owing to fasting or Moharram ceremonies.

Every Moslem is enjoined to grow a beard. Unfortunately this command is not strictly adhered to owing to the influence of Western culture. From the religious point of view, therefore, I am not in a position (nor for that matter is anybody else) to advise the Moslem students of your School to shave their beards, when in compliance with the rules of their religion they elect to grow them.

In your country my co-religionists are privileged to be members of a society which grants every individual freedom of religion. I can well appreciate that strict adherence to the Islamic code may well occasionally conflict with the rules laid down by an institution, as it does in your case with the beard. But, I feel that institutions, like democratic governments,should keep an open mind about an individual's freedom to follow the precepts of his faith.

I trust, Sir, that the explanations I have given will satisfy you to the extent of allowing the Moslem students in your School to freely practice the tenets of their religion. I, once again, thank you for communicating with me on these matters. Your concern for your pupils is indeed most commendable; and as you must also wish them to grow up to be good citizens, you will, no doubt, encourage them in their adherence to the code of Islam which by the very strictness of its tenets infuses in every Moslem piety, will-power, tolerance, justice and charity.

And, so far as their academic career is concerned, I may add here that in this country it happens very often that the months of fasting coincide with the examinations and yet I am proud of the very high percentage of the successful candidates from our community. Q89: Can a woman fast when pregnant? And is it a MUST in Ramadhan? A. If the pregnant woman is afraid that the fast would harm her own health, she is exempted from fasting at that time; but she should fast its QAZA afterwards.

If, she is afraid not about her own health, but about the health of the unborn child, she again is exempted from fasting at that time, but she will have to pay Kaffara @ 3/4 kilogram wheat, rice or any such staple food per day to a poor Mumin. And she should fast its QAZA afterwards. Q90: What sort of sacrifice should a person perform after having sexual intercourse during the month of Ramadhan before breaking the fast? Well, he did not intend to make love with his wife since it is forbidden during the day time. It was sort of strong temptation of the wife. She just went to her husband's bedroom while he was resting and she stripped from head to toe and forced him to make love - the couple were newly weds.

A. If the wife forced the husband to have sexual intercourse during daytime in the month of Ramadhan, she would have to fast 60 days as retribution. (At least 31 days should be continuous; after that she may fast with gaps.), or feed sixty poor Muslims (feeding one person sixty days is not enough); and, in addition to that fast or feeding, she would be punished for that behaviour (if she is in a country where Islamic Sheriat is followed in the Courts).

Q91 : Reference your latest issue of "THE LIGHT" Magazine, page 10, on the subject "ABOUT ZAKAT", one person has commented as under:

"To me the question was beautifully put up and the answer poor. There are no orders in the Holy Qur'an to murder and massacre anybody although the Muslims are ordered to wage a war against those who first begin hostilities and who persecute the Muslims, and that, too, with strict limitations. Only those wars which are fought in self-defence and for the protection of Islamic religious principles and for the rights of the weak and the oppressed fall under jihad.

Leaving apart the extremist interpretation of jihad it means a fight between good and evil, virtue and vice. The great Prophet said, "The greatest Jihad is against a man's own lust." The term Jihad is also applicable to the effort of the faulty towards perfection and to patience under persecution. The daily prayers which train a Muslim to rush forth at the call of the Muezzin setting aside all worldly engagements, the yearly fasting in the month of Ramadhan make him capable of withstanding hunger and thirst, ZAKAAT influences and invigorates in him a sacrificing spirit. All these sacrificial rites are forms of Jihad and transforms a Muslim into a perfect 'Mujahid'. In short, Jihad is striving in the way of Allah. We can express it correctly by saying to do or to die in the way of Allah is a Muslim's foremost duty and a Muslim's whole life comprises of a series of Jihads against his own lusts".

The above extract is just sent for your information. Should you wish to send your commentary, I shall be glad to transmit it to the party concerned. For your information he believes that Zakaat is payable and falls due on any form of currency. His main argument is:Paper Money can buy the items listed in which Zakat was prescribed.

A Your correspondent seems to try to confuse the issue. He has left all the main reasons given about Zakaat not being payable in currency notes and has written about 'Jihad' which was not the subject issue of the article referred to.

Even there he seems not to comprehend my point. I had written :

"If an order is repeatedly given in the Qur'an, it does not follow that it is meant for one and all without any regard to its necessary conditions".

And then I gave examples of Hajj and Jihad. It was the reply to that part of the question which had said, "Qur'an repeatedly says, 'and establish the prayer and give Zakat", but we ignore the order Your correspondent mentions the conditions of Jihad and tries of justify "not raising sword in Jihad" by saying that the conditions of fighting in Jihad are not fulfilled nowadays. He forgets conveniently that by the same reasoning Zakat in currency notes is not given because conditions of Zakaat are not fulfilled there.

He should once again read the said article and ponder upon the following points explained therein :-

(a) Wealth is not confined in the 9 items listed for Zakaat; still the Holy Prophet did not prescribe Zakaat in other things. (b) Not even all gold and silver was taxable. (c) Currency note is not real money. There are great differences between coins and notes. (d) Before extending the Zakaat to currency notes, one would have to extend it to house, land, garden, jewelleries etc. (e) Quiyas is not in our Madh-hab.

Here it should be remembered that there is no mention in the Qur'an on which items Zakat is wajib. It was explained by the Holy Prophet. There were and are other properties, including land, jewels, etc. But the Holy Prophet did not include them in Zakat. And it is explained by the Imams in clear words that "the Holy Prophet exempted all other things"

Now the Shia sheriat cannot add to that list in defiance to the Holy Prophet. To say that "the Zakat should be payable on currency notes because it can buy the items in which Zakat was prescribed", shows the immaturity of mind. Law (whether secular or religious) does not concern itself with what "can be"; it is concerned with what "is". If Qadhi or the Police were to follow the argument to its logical end, how would he like to be punished for hoarding wine and keeping a stolen car in his possession because the money in his possession can buy these items as well.

It is fortunate for him that the sheriat does not think so. It does not allow a person to give money in place of food, etc., in any kind of Kaffarah; it does not allow a pilgrim to pay the poor the money of Qurbani; it exempts a person from paying the kaffarah if the prescribed thing or things are not available. If a man has to give all three kaffarahs of fast, i.e., emancipating a slave, fasting 60 days and feeding 60 poor momineen, he cannot emancipate any slave in these days. So, he will be exempted from that particular kaffarah and is never required to give its price in money or other property.

In Fitrah it has been prescribed that it has an alternative, i.e., the price, and that the price is preferred to the original thing. So we do accordingly. But it must be remembered that it is an exception (which proves the rule) and that here we act on the explicit command of sheriat (which has given us the choice) and not on our own whim.

I will not comment here on other irrelevant points in that letter because I do not want to be side-tracked from the main subject.

Q92: I shall be highly obliged if you will kindly enlighten me regarding Khums.

As for the word "Ghanimtum" of the verse (8:41) of the Holy Qur'an, many critics have misinterpreted as 'Spoils of War' instead of Year's Savings as mentioned in your book, ELEMENTS OF ISLAMIC STUDIES. Hence, I now look forward to receiving a convincing explanation of Khums and the word Ghanimat.

A. I know there are some misguided people who misinterpret the word 'Ghanimat' as you have reported. These people know neither the Arabic language nor the history of Khums; they do not know the common Muslim (not only Shia) sheriat about khums; and they are ignorant of Tafseer and Hadith.

(1) Arabic Language: The famous Arabic dictionary "Al-Munjid" (by Father Louis Maaluf of Beirut) say:

"Al ghanim and Al-ghanimat'' (a) What is taken from the fighting enemies by force.

(b) All earnings generally........ And the saying "Al-ghunm for Al-ghurm" means that the "profit" stands against expenses, i.e., as the owner is the sole proprietor of "the profit"" and nobody shares it with him, so he only bears all the expenses and risk". So as you see, in Arabic language has two meanings, one the spoils of war and the other "profit". The above quoted proverb also proves that the "profit" is not uncommon meaning.

When a word in the Qur'an can be interpreted in more than one way, it is incumbent upon the Muslims to seek guidance from Ahlul-bait. Otherwise, they would be guilty of ???????? ????? ?? "Tafseer Bir-Rai" (Interpreting the "Qur'an" according to one's own wishes and views); and this is a sin which automatically pushes the sinner into Jahannam.

(2) History of Khums: Khums is one of those things which were introduced by Hadhrat Abdul- Muttalib, (the grand father of our Holy Prophet) and continued in Islam. When Hadhrat Abdul-Muttalib, acting upon a command of God given him in dream, rediscovered the well of Zamzam, he found in it many valuable things which were buried in it in very remote past by Ismailites when they had feared that their enemies would usurp them. (It is a very long story and I do not think that its details are necessary for the subject of this letter).

When Hadhrat Abdul-Muttalib found that buried treasure, he took out its one-fifth in the way of God, and kept 4/5 to himself.

Then it became a custom in his family,- and after the 'Hijrat' of our Holy Prophet, this same system was incorporated in Islam. Thus, the first khums given was not from the "spoils of war", but from buried treasure (which is one of the seven items in which Khums is wajib).

(3) Muslim's Sheriat: Not a single sect of Islam confines the meaning of "Ghanimat" to the "Spoils of War". In addition to the "Spoil of War" the following items are subject to Khums :- (a) Minerals: Khums is wajib in Hanafi and Shia sects.

(b) Buried Treasure: Khums is wajib in ALL Muslim sects, i.e., Shia, Hanafi, Maliki, Hambali and Shafii. In addition to above, in Shia Ithna-Asheri sect, khums is wajib in the things which are taken out from sea by diving (like pearl and coral, etc); in a land purchased by a Dhimmi from a Muslim; in the year's earning and in a lawful property mixed with unlawful property.

There are detailed rules and conditions in all the above things, but here I am not writing a book of Fiqah. I just wanted to show you that not a single sect of Islam thinks that "ghanimat" means spoil of war only. Therefore, anybody who wants to interpret that ayat in his own way, should start a new sect in Islam, because his views cannot be reconciled with any of the existing groups !

(4) Tafseer and Hadith of Ahlul-bait: As I have mentioned in the beginning, interpretation of the Qur'an must be based on the teachings of Ahlul-bait. The word ghanimat" in the Ayat 8: 41 (the earned profit) by our Holy Imams, who explained it has I have mentioned earlier. Therefore, an Ithna-Asheri has no choice but to follow that interpretation.

So, it is crystal clear that the word "ghanimat" was never treated as being confined to "the spoils of war" by any sect of Islam, SINCE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, and so far as our Imams are concerned, it meant many things other than the spoil of war right from the days of Hadhrat Ali (A.S.), as authentic traditions show.

Q93: I am working and earning only £15; have I got to give Zakat to the poor during the month of Ramadhan since I got my parent to support - my father died twelve years ago. And if so how much should I give the poor people?

Should I also pay the same amount for my mother, sisters and brothers?

A.

Zakat is not wajib on you.

But if you are 'rich' in the term of the sheriat (i.e. if you can meet your own expenses and the expenses of all your dependants without any undue difficulty), then you will have to pay "Zakat-ul-Fitra" on the eve of Idul-Fitr for yourself and for all your dependants at the rate of 3Kgs. of any staple food per person.